California Dreams
by turnitintolove
Summary: The first thing he noticed as they were landing was the lack of snow, the cars with tops down, and the ocean.  Endless and inviting.  Brittany and Santana were waiting by the escalator, hand in hand.  Kurt visits Brittany and Santana in California.


This is in the same universe as _Turn My Grief To Grace_. You don't need to read it, but it's referenced.

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><p>Kurt had never been to San Diego, well, he'd never been to the west coast. So when his relationship status went from <em>In A Relationship <em>to _Single_, and Brittany commented with a _Come to California! We'll make you feel better! _He didn't think twice before buying a ticket on Orbitz and packing a bag. New York had been good, but hard. Plus, it was eight degrees out. Eight. When Kurt looked up the weather in San Diego, he started to rethink his college choices.

The first thing he noticed as they were landing was the lack of snow, the cars with tops down, and the ocean. Endless and inviting. Brittany and Santana were waiting by the escalator, hand in hand. Three and a half years had been good to them. Santana looked more relaxed, like she was finally comfortable in her own skin. Brittany just looked like she belonged; she was always too big for Lima. They rushed to meet him at the base of the escalator, engulfing him in a hug.

"How was your flight?" Brittany took his hand and swung it as they walked to the baggage carousel.

"Long. Uneventful."

"So it was good?" Santana looped her arm through his as they stopped to wait for his luggage.

"Exactly. But I did get to sit next to the window. This place is beautiful."

"Wait till Tana and I drive you around! You're going to love it!"

"I can't tell you how grateful I am for this. And it's so good to see you. Three years is too long."

"Well, we love that you're here. But Kurt, what happened?" Santana pulled them closer to the carousel as the light above it started blinking.

"We just, fell apart. We moved into our own place last year and then things just started to not work. School's been really busy, getting ready for senior showcases and we both work a lot. We started fighting, and I ended up on Quinn's sofa a few times a week. So I ended it, and Quinn's roommate moved out. Good timing, really."

"Wow."

"Yeah. She says hi, by the way. She wanted to come out here with me. But she got this really great internship at The Village Voice."

"That's amazing! Which bag is yours?" Santana beamed. She actually _beamed_ at hearing about their friend's success.

"That red one. Thanks Santana."

The three of them made their way into the sunshine towards the parking lot. Kurt stopped a few feet away from the car that Santana was loading his suitcase into. "Wait, _this_ is your car?"

"I like to call it parental guilt." Santana shrugged and opened the passenger door for Brittany to climb into the backseat. Kurt stood and stared at the vintage red and white Mustang. "Are you going to just stare at her, or get in?"

"OK. You hungry?" Kurt nodded. "Alright. In-N-Out."

"In and what?"

"Burgers, Kurt. Really good burgers." Brittany started bouncing in the backseat and patting Kurt's shoulders as Santana pulled onto the freeway.

Santana pulls into the parking lot and Kurt still can't believe how warm it is for a late December day. They walk up to the counter and Brittany orders for the three of them. When they sit down to eat, Kurt's pretty sure he's just taken a bite of the best damn burger in the world.

"OK. They need one of these in New York. Like, yesterday." Brittany and Santana laugh.

Santana drives them to the beach where Kurt sticks his feet in the Pacific Ocean for the first time. He watches as Brittany throws Santana over her shoulder and threatens to throw the fully clothed girl into the ocean. She only sets her down on the dry sand after he hears Santana threaten her by withholding sex. He laughs, they've all grown up.

"I never really thought the two of you would be the most stable relationship to come out of glee club. You're so, _normal_."

"Wait, _we're_ the most stable relationship?" Santana waves her arm between herself and her girlfriend. "Who'd a thunk?" Brittany pulls her close and the three of them continue walking down the beach holding on to their shoes.

"New York looks good on you. How is school and stuff?" Brittany bumps his hip as they walk towards the car.

"School is good. I'm thinking of grad schools though. I think I need a break from New York though. It's been amazing, but I really want to be prepared. You know? How is it out here? You guys seem really happy."

"School's great. Tana's at the top of her class in all her pre-med stuff." She leans forward in the car to give Santana a kiss on her cheek and a slight blush creeps up her neck. Kurt's not sure if it's from the bragging Brittany's doing or the kiss, he thinks it's a little of both. "And I'm getting ready for my dance showcases. But we're moving up to LA next fall for Santana's grad school." Kurt watches Santana smile into the review mirror as Brittany talks about their future.

They drive in what Kurt thinks are circles, but Santana drives with ease, left arm hanging out the window and smiling as the sun sets over the ocean. The road ahead of them reflected in her oversized sunglasses. They pull up to small house that looks over the water and Kurt's jaw drops as he takes it all in. Brittany notices and smiles as she pulls his suitcase out of the trunk and leads him to the front door. They lead him to the living room where they've cleared some of the furniture for the pull out sofa.

"This is home!" Brittany spins around and leads him through the house while Santana opens a bottle of wine.

"How- I mean, _how_?"

"Santana's parents felt really guilty about missing so much stuff. Especially after the Christmas party senior year. So they've paid for everything. I mean, she got a full ride and stuff, but they want her to be comfortable." Kurt nods and Brittany can see the questions rolling around his head. "They visit a lot. I mean, they're really active in what she does now." He nods and wonders how she's always been able to read people so quickly. He supposes that's why her and Santana work so well, she was always the only one to see through all of Santana's walls.

They head to the back deck that faces the water. Santana is already out there, curled up on the sofa with a glass in her hand. He thinks she's probably the one who's changed the most since high school. She's let her fears melt away and this new confidence suits her. He doesn't think she's ever been more beautiful.

"So, LA?" Kurt sits down in one of the deck chairs and sips his wine.

"Yeah. I got accepted into UCLA's program, and Britt's starting a new dance company with a few friends. They're being funded by this big theatre up there. They're amazing." This time it's Brittany's turn to blush as Santana gushes about her new dance company that she's sure is going to take the world by storm.

They sit, watching the sun sink lower into the Pacific, and he wonders when they all became adults. Real functioning adults who go to school and work and make plans for the future. He thinks that maybe California is a good place to be. The last few months he's felt like New York is swallowing him whole. Instead of finding himself, he's losing sight of why he wanted to be there in the first place. He's not so much an individual there, he's part of the massive faceless crowd that are New Yorkers. He's so lost in thought that he doesn't hear Santana say his name.

"Sorry, what?"

"I was saying, you should look at the MFA program here. It's pretty good. Britt's got a few friends in the acting program, we could introduce you if you want. And you could totally live here." She waves to the house behind her.

"What?"

"Well, we're moving up to LA after graduation, and my parents bought this place. So you can live here. If you decide you want to go here." She smiles at him and for the first time, he's speechless at her kindness.

"Wow. Thank you, Santana. Really. And I would love to talk to your friends here."

They spend the rest of the evening talking about things they have planned while Kurt is in town. They head inside around 11 and Kurt is finding himself jealous of his two friends. He watches as they work around each other in the kitchen, cleaning the wine glasses, making sure coffee is ready for the morning. When Santana leans to kiss Brittany's shoulder, he can't help but smile.

Kurt wakes up to the sound of Santana giggling and announcing that yes, she's awake and she will love Brittany that much more if she will turn the coffee pot on. Brittany bounds out of the bedroom and into the kitchen to flick the coffee maker on. "Morning Kurt!"

"Morning Britt."

"So, we're taking you to the zoo today!" Before he can say anything, she's running back into the bedroom and he can hear Santana groan at being woken up again. It takes them two hours to get ready and finally get out of the house. When they get to the zoo, Brittany leads them around like a tour guide, stopping occasionally to make random noises and faces at the animals, and sometimes children.

Kurt watches Santana watch Brittany as she shows a group of kids how to stand like a flamingo. An easy smile gracing her features as she fumbles with something in her pocket.

"You going to ask her?"

"What?" Her hand stills in her pocket.

"I've been watching you play with what I'm guessing is a ring for the entire day. Are you going to ask her?"

"I've had it for three weeks."

"Wow. What are you waiting for?"

"I don't know the –"

"Perfect moment? Santana, you know that doesn't exist."

"I, Kurt, what if she says no?" He almost doesn't hear her. She's still watching Brittany.

"Santana. Look at me. That girl loves you more than anything. Give me your camera." She looks at him with something akin to awe. "Give me your damn camera and go get your girl."

She pulls the camera strap over her head and hands it to him. "You turn it –"

"I know how to use a camera! Go!" He turns the camera on and watches her through the lens. The clicks from the shutter drowning out the sounds of the zoo. He moves closer, turning the lens to focus on his two friends in what may be the most important moment of their lives to date.

The clicks capture Santana's nervous smile. Brittany brushing hair behind Santana's ear. Santana reaching in her pocket. Brittany covering her mouth as she gasps. Brittany nodding as Santana slips the ring onto her finger. Santana pulling Brittany in for a kiss, the sea of flamingos watching.

He manages one of the two of them running towards him before he's engulfed in a hug from Brittany. Santana nodding her thanks for the boost in courage.

They celebrate with tacos on the beach. Kurt still taking photos of the two of them.

When they get back to the house, Kurt sits out on the deck while Brittany and Santana skype with their families. He likes the calm the ocean brings him. Watching the sailboats and kayaks bob in the distance as the sky turns pink. He's been here a day and a half, and already he doesn't want to leave. He pulls up UCSD's MFA program on his laptop. The more he reads, the more he likes. By the time the girls flop onto the sofa with a bottle and three wine glasses, he's emailed in his application.

"The parentals are all very happy." Santana pulls the cork out of the bottle and hands it to Brittany to begin pouring.

"That's great! I'm so happy for you guys! I emailed in my application for grad school."

"Already?" Brittany hands him his glass.

"Yeah. Oh, to you guys! May every day be as happy as today." They clink their glasses together and he watches Brittany kiss Santana just under hear ear.

"Thank you, Kurt." Brittany beams and pulls Santana into her side.

They sit out on the deck until the bottle is empty and Kurt's head is lolling to the side. Santana helps Kurt to the sofa and takes his shoes off for him.

"You, you, are going to make an excellent wife, Santanana." He giggles as she pulls his socks off and tucks the blanket under his chin.

Santana chuckles as she leans in to kiss his forehead, "Goodnight Kurt."

As he falls asleep, Kurt hears hushed _I love you's_ drifting though the house. And he thinks that he may have found himself again, amongst old friends and the sun. He smiles to himself, _everything is going to be alright._


End file.
